The Bucks County Health Department has taken samples of the water in Quakertown to determine the accuracy of an earlier unofficial test that showed unacceptable levels of coliform. Peter Noll, environmental protection specialist with the Health Department, said samples were taken Thursday at two homes on Washington Court after a resident had submitted a water sample late last month showing coliform levels of 9 bacterial colonies per 100 milliliters of water. A coliform reading of 1 or above is considered to render the water undrinkable, Noll said.

The problem-plagued beach at Beltzville State Park in Carbon County has been reopened to swimmers after water samples showed bacteria had returned to safe levels. The popular Carbon County lake has been closed three times this summer, most recently on Wednesday, because of high levels of bacteria. Online: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us. —Dan Sheehan

State park officials closed the swim area at Beltzville Lake near Lehighton in Carbon County because high bacterial levels were detected in water samples collected Monday. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in a news release said the swim area was closed Tuesday night, and it will remain closed until water samples test at acceptable levels. Other activities at Beltzville State Park, such as picnicking, fishing, boating and hiking, are proceeding as usual.

A favorite swimming hole in the Poconos at Beltzville Lake near Lehighton may not be open this Fourth of July because of bacterial contamination. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, which manages the 3,000-acre state park, closed the swimming area Wednesday because of high bacterial counts in water samples collected Monday. The lake has been closed several times over the years starting in 1988, when about a dozen people, including children, who had been swimming in the lake were suspected of contracting shigellosis from the water.

Catasauqua residents no longer need to boil water, after tests showed the borough water samples were free of bacteria for two consecutive days, according to a borough advisory released yesterday. "The boil water advisory issued on Monday (May 24) has been lifted effective immediately," said the news release. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources required the borough to have water samples free of fecal coliform bacteria for two days before lifting the advisory. "We have met this requirement and are lifting the advisory, but will continue additional testing," the release said.

The problem-plagued beach at Beltzville State Park in Carbon County has been reopened to swimmers after water samples showed bacteria had returned to safe levels. The popular Carbon County lake has been closed three times this summer, most recently on Wednesday, because of high levels of bacteria. Online: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us. —Dan Sheehan

Clinton Williams, superintendent of the Lehighton Water Department and an employee of the utility company for 35 years, is retiring this month. He attended his last meeting of the Lehighton Water Authority last night and submitted his final activity report. Williams, who will retire Aug. 19, said he plans to do a lot of hiking, fishing and hunting. A former mayor and borough councilman in Lehighton, Williams told the five-member authority, "I am sure you will continue to have a good water department working crew to replace me."

Officials from the state Fish and Boat Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection were investigating fish deaths in Cedar Creek on Sunday. More than 100 dead fish were found, DEP spokesman Mark Carmon said. He said the fish were widely scattered along a stretch of the creek in Cedar Creek East off Haines Mill Road, near Dorney Park. DEP and the commission learned about the dead fish Sunday morning and began testing the water. The water tested normal for oxygen, chlorine and acidity levels, Carmon said.

A change was announced yesterday in the plan to test water samples from homes on Scheidys Road in Whitehall Township. Whitehall commissioners Monday asked that residents on Scheidys Road pick up special containers in the Municipal Building, get water samples from their homes and take the samples to the local water authority. They hoped that results would qualify them for a state grant for a sewer and water system on the road. But Dick Paul of the Northampton Water Authority decided yesterday that authority employees would go to the homes and perform the tests.

An advisory to boil water in the Tamaqua area has been lifted after 12 days, according to Donald Matalavage, Tamaqua borough manager. Residents in South Tamaqua, Clamtown,Reynolds and East Penn Township had been told Aug. 2 that their water was unsafe. Coliform (bacteria associated with animal or human waste) was found in water samples at that time. Matalavage said water sample tests over two successive days have now come up negative. Matalavage and the borough's engineers, Gannett Fleming Corddry and Carpenter Inc. of Harrisburg, met with the state Department of Environmental Resources Wednesday to discuss the water problem.

State park officials closed the swim area at Beltzville Lake near Lehighton in Carbon County because high bacterial levels were detected in water samples collected Monday. The state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources in a news release said the swim area was closed Tuesday night, and it will remain closed until water samples test at acceptable levels. Other activities at Beltzville State Park, such as picnicking, fishing, boating and hiking, are proceeding as usual.

By Charles Malinchak, Special to The Morning Call | September 25, 2012

The Hellertown Borough Authority is advising all customers to boil their water for the next several days because of a breakdown in the water systems's disinfectant equipment that could have allowed contaminated water to enter the water system. The breakdown occurred late Monday night and although measures were taken to remove non-disinfected water from the system the possibility remains that some untreated water traveled into the public water distribution system. A notice released by the authority says, "Do not drink the water without boiling first ... let it boil for one minute and let it cool before using or use bottled water.

Officials from the state Fish and Boat Commission and the Department of Environmental Protection were investigating fish deaths in Cedar Creek on Sunday. More than 100 dead fish were found, DEP spokesman Mark Carmon said. He said the fish were widely scattered along a stretch of the creek in Cedar Creek East off Haines Mill Road, near Dorney Park. DEP and the commission learned about the dead fish Sunday morning and began testing the water. The water tested normal for oxygen, chlorine and acidity levels, Carmon said.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY -- When was the last time you and your dog saved a life? Volunteers and their dogs are invited to walk in the Dogswalk Against Cancer 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Lehigh Parkway. Volunteers are also needed to help with the planning committee and to help the day of the event with registration, booths, raffles, info table, etc. Rosemarie Murphy: 610-921-2329, e-mail: rmurphy@cancer.org. CELTIC CLASSIC each year brings the finest in Celtic arts, food, music, athletics, piping and more to the historic Bethlehem area.

Small amounts of coliform bacteria were found in June in the Madison Park North water system in Lynn Township. According to a state Department of Environmental Protection notice in some editions of Wednesday's The Morning Call, five water samples were taken during the month and two showed the presence of the bacteria. That exceeded the allowable limit of one positive test, requiring the Lynn Water Company to notify residents. "This is the first time it's turned up here," said Margaret Dissinger, vice president of land development for Omega Homes, builder of the Madison Park neighborhood.

Two of the 25 water-sample tests conducted by the Lehigh County Authority last month proved positive for total coliform bacteria, prompting a mandatory public statement by the authority. Spokeswoman Liesel M. Smull said the bacteria discovered in samples taken from one home and one business pose no threat to health. There is no "boil advisory" or other precaution suggested, and authority water customers, chiefly in Lower and Upper Macungie townships, can drink the water safely, she said.

Increased chlorination, increasing the flow of water in a line serving the Atlas Powder Co., and possible installation of another chlorinator were discussed at yesterday's meeting with Department of Environmental Resources and Tamaqua borough representatives. Donald Matalavage, borough manager, said the purpose of the meeting with DER and the borough's engineers, GannettFleming Corddry and Carpenter Inc. of Harrisburg was "telling them what we are doing and what we plan to do." Several hundred residents in South Tamaqua, Clamtown, Reynolds and East Penn Township are under a water boil advisory since Aug. 2 due to coliform (bacteria associated with animal or human waste)

The milky white discharge discovered in a tributary of Lizard Creek after a huge fire destroyed a wax factory in East Penn Township last week may have been from detergents used at the factory, a state Department of Environmental Resources spokesman said yesterday. "We conducted another field inspection, and it looks like the discoloration was due to some detergent that was in the building," Mark Carmon said. "So water quality impact may not be as bad as we first thought." Carmon said the preliminary findings are based on information obtained from factory owner Linda Vertaand preliminary tests.